Woven-fabric covering and process of making the same.



J. N. WIGGIN. WOVEN FABRTLG COVERING AND PROGEES OF MAKING THE SAME. APPLICATION FILED 0017.23, 1913.

1 1 24,087 Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

JOSEPH NEIL WIGGIN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

WOVEN-FABRIC COVERING PROCESS OF MAKIN THE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan 19 15 Application filed October 23, 193. Serial No. 796,824.

To all 'who'n'z, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH N. WIGGIN, of East Grange, in the county of Essex, and in the State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in,

Woven-Fabric Covering and Processes of Making the Same, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention has been to provide woven fabric for covering walls, books, etc, and process of making the same, the woven fabric covering preferably being made of burlap or similar material, which covering and process shall have, among others, the following advantages: that, even though made of unbleached burlap, it shallhave, if desired,'light,bright tints; that its colors shall be permanent; that it shall have, if desired, a silk-like appearance; that the natural texture of the fabric shall be preserved, and shall also, if desired, be emphasized so as to give the woven fabric covering a brilliant tint; and to such ends my invention consists in the woven fabric covering and process of making the same hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a woven fabric covering embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1.

My invention, as to the covering, is capable of embodiment in many different 'forms, and as to the process, of practice by many different procedures and the use of various apparatus, and while I shall illustrate the covering by the best embodiment known to me. and the process by the most advantageous procedure, utilizing the most convenient apparatus known to me, such disclosures are to be regarded as typical only of many possible embodiments and forms of practising my invention, and my invention is not to be restricted thereto.

The illustrated embodiment is the appli-. cation of my invention to burlap. Light,- bright tints on burla'p have never before. been produced, so far as I know, except by an opaque coating, or by using bleached burlap. Bleached burlap is not only more expensive than unbleached burlap, but it will in a short time change its color to a dirty yellowish brown; which affects the' color used on it, where the tints are light. The opaque coating conceals the texture of the fabric, and even the form of the Weave,

to some extent, so that instead of the threads being thrown into relief'and emphasized and made pleasing to the eye, and instead of the color having a depth to it, and brilliancy, the the threads by the filling up of the interstices between them, and consequently a deadening of the fabric effect and a lack of brilliancy. Unbleached burlap can be used by my invention and yet these defects are overcome.

As an illustration of an embodiment of my woven fabric covering as made by my process, I describe the following: Bleached 0r unbleached burlap, preferably the latter, is first dyed. This may be done on a padding machinelor in any other convenientway'. A coating'is preferably put on the back of the burlap by a coating machine, the purpose of which coating is to enable the fabric to retain its shape after it is pasted and cut, and while it is being hung, and also to permit the paste to get suflicient hold on the fabric to secure good adhesion. This back coating may be of any well-known composition, asfmy invention does not relate specifically to it. The faceof the fabric'is'then preferably sized with a starchy paste as by use of a calico printing machine and is then calendered. The fabric is then given a coating of mica and a finely divided or powdered metal, such as aluminum bronze. This coating may be composed as follows: An aluminum mixture may be formed by mixing 5 lbs. of aluminum bronze powder in one quart of denatured alcohol and 18 lbs. of tragacanth mixture made up of powdered tragacanth boiled in sixteen parts of water. A mica mixture is formed by mixing three parts of ground mica in two parts of water. 3 lbs. of glue is also dissolved in 12 lbs. of water. The coating is then put together by using 25 lbs. of the aluminum mixture, 30 lbs. of the mica mixture, 150 lbs. of starch paste and 8 lbs. of glue dissolved in 12 lbs. of water. This coating is then placed on the goods, preferably by a calico printing machine having an engraved copper roller. The fabric may be left in this condition, but preferably is given a finishing coat of starch paste with suitable coloring matter. to give a finished appearance. The fabric may be left in this condition, or may be again printed by the calico printing machine with a mixture of bronze and lacquer in such a way as to print general effect is a flattening of the tops of, the threads only and thus, to a great extent, to emphasize the difference between the tops of the threads and the valleys between them.

By the use of the aluminum and mica I find that I can dye the burlap clear through with a comparatively dark and permanent dye which hides the mequalities in the color in the natural burlap, and yet by the use of the'aluminum-mica coating a color effect is roduced much lighter thanthat of the dyed 'urlap' without suchcoating. While the aluminum is opa us, the mica lets the color show throu h an yet the aluminum gives a metallic br' iancy and also prevents the effeet from' being too'dark, as it would be .if 'mica were used alone. The dark dye underneath is not changed by the action of the light and gives permanency. The natural texture of the burlap is preserved so that a much more artistic effect is obtained than if the coating covered the fibers of-the burlap. This process not only preserves and emphasizes the weaving, but it gives abrilliance and a depth to the color not obtainable by an opa ue coating. The fabric is-also given a appearance and altogether an effect is obtaine more beautiful than any other effect of its kind with which I am familiar.

While I have described my invention as applied to burlap, it will readily be understood that it is applicable to other fabrics as well. r

I claim- 1. A woven fabric covering, comprising an unbleached fabric having a coating of mica and a metallic powder.

2. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap coated with a mixture of mica and a metallic powder.

3. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap coated with a mixture of mica and a metallic powder, and having a relatively dark metallic powder applied to the tops of the threads.

4. A woven fabric covering, comprising a dyed fabric having a coating of mica, and a metallic powder.

5. A woven fabric covering, comprising a dyed fabric sized and then provided with a coating comprising ground mica and a metallic powder.

6. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap dyed and coated with a mixture of ground mica and a metallic powder.

7. A woven, fabric covering, comprising burlap dyed and coated witha mixture of ground mica and a metallic powder, such as aluminum.

8. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap dyed, and provided with a coating comprising ground mica .and aluminum powder.

9. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap dyed, provided with a coating comprising ground mica and aluminum powder, and also provided with a second coating of bronze.

10. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap dyed and sized, and having upon the size a coating comprising ground m1ca and aluminum powder.

I 11. A woven fabric covering, comprising burlap dyed and sized and havin upon the size a coating comprising groun mica and aluminum powder, glue and starch.

12. A woven fabric covering; comprising burlap dyed and sized, and having u on the size a coating comprising groun mica, aluminum powder, glue, starch and tragacanth.

13. The process of tempering colors of woven fabric coverings, comprising mixing ground mica and a metallic powder, and applyin it to the woven material.

14. he process of making a woven fabric covering which comprises dyeing a fabric, and applying to its surface a mixture of mica and a metallic powder.

15. The rocess of making a woven fabric covering w ich comprises dyeing burlap and applying to its surface a mixture of mica and metallic powder.

16. The process of making a wow en fabric covering which comprises dyeing burlap, applying to its surface a mixture of mica and powdered aluminum, and then applying to the tops only of the threads a reparation of a metallic powder having adi ance.

17. The process of making a woven fabric covering which comprises dyeing burlap, applying to its surface a mixture of mica and powdered aluminum, and then applying to the tops only of the threads a preparation of bronze powder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set In hand.

J OSE%H NEIL WIGGIN.

Witnesses:

JoHN R. WINANS, ANGELA C. BURKE.

erent appear- 

